Bringing It Back Old School

I'm not a big video game guy. I'm not even into the new XBOX 360. My favourite new games are just ones from old franchises. When I'm restless and in the mood for some gaming, I don't even go play my Gamecube. It's SNES games all the way. So here's a short list of games I like to chill back with. It should be noted that this isn't a list of the best SNES games but ones I like to play when I'm completely fried. I'll also include what I believe are good choices of music to listen to when playing such games.

1. Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems
It's a simple beat 'em up game. You play as Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man and/or Wolverine throughout the game. There's just something so relieving about seeing Hulk smash a guy into the ground, or Wolverine going berserk and ripping through a bunch of bad guys.

I have no really good recommendation for music for this game but I will say that some of Linkin Park's angrier songs go well with Hulk or Wolverine tearing up the place.

2. E.V.O: The Search for Eden
You might think a game about evolution sounds a bit too educational but it really is a lot of fun. There are basically all these different chapters where you are a certain animal. For example, in the first chapter you're a fish. The cool thing is as you kill other animals and eat them you get E.V.O. points which allow you to transform your body. So you can change from nothing special into awesome over a short period of time. Let me give you an example...
Before...
After...
The only downside is that the game play can get a bit repetitive but if you focus on seeing your weakling of a character turn into a beast, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I did and do.

My choice in music for this is something brand new that you're not use listening to, it will help deal with any annoyances you may have with the game play. Angels & Airwaves is what I'm listening to for this game at the moment.

3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
If I recall correctly the first time playing this game, I rented it and played it with my sister. It was quite a bit of fun. I highly recommend playing this game with someone else but it's still pretty good by yourself. Do I have to explain why nunchucking Rocksteady while your friend puts a Sai in Bebop's face is fun?
Good times...
This is another title that really doesn't make me think of any specific artist to listen to. Yngwie Malmsteen may just do the trick though. I'll have to try that out myself one of these days.

4. Bust-A-Move
This is really meant for two people. The only reason you would play singer player is to get better at the game. You would think that linking coloured bubbles would be too simple to be fun but that's what makes this game beautiful. It's easy to play but difficult to master. It should also be told that you're making two dinosaurs launch the coloured bubbles for you. So it's kind of cool to think that you have a couple dino slaves.

I find that Dream Theatre works well. Their fast paced songs containing few words really kick up the tempo of this game.

5. Super Bomberman 3 (Battle-Mode)
I picked this up during my somewhat painful trip to Hong Kong. This game almost made it worth it. I don't know how many hours Flash and I have spent playing this game or better yet, will end up spending. We're definitely counting by the days if not weeks. I'm not sure what it is about the game that makes it so good, the stereotypical and sometimes blatantly racist characters, the fact that you ride kangaroos, or all the well designed levels. It may just be that Flash and I are so evenly matched at the game, that a 3 match game often turns into an epic 10 game battle with multiple ties.

I've played this game to all kinds of music, and I really can't suggest a specific band. Mortal Kombat tracks are necessary to put in the mix though.

Think There's Nothing To Watch?

My friend Omega is in Ottawa for a job this term. He pretty much has nothing to do other than watch over 80 hours of dvd's that I lent him. The way he's going through them though, I doubt they'll last very long.

The NBA and NHL finals are coming to a close in a couple weeks and many shows have had their season finales already. So many people think there's really nothing worth watching on TV. Well, for a diehard fan of television like me, I have a different opinion. So here are my nightly picks from Monday to Friday. I should warn you I don't catch many of these shows because I'm watching sports or am busy with something else. So this schedule may not be completely correct in a couple weeks.

Monday

7 - A&E (31) - Dog the Bounty Hunter
This show is crazy. Sure there are some heartwarming moments, considering that Dog the Bounty Hunter has a posse which contains mostly family members. At the end of the day though, the real reason to watch this show is to see him track and beat down criminals.

8 - Global (3) - Deal or No Deal
It seems like the show changes times every week. Sure it seems to simple to be any good. All it is, is some guy choosing cases and finally deciding whether to take the money he's offered or keep going. Before you know it though, you're screaming at the TV, "Jim you should have taken the deal, you really fucked up this time, your wife is going to divorce you".

Alternative - Discovery (42) - MythBusters
Two guys basically try to scientifically prove or disprove urban legends. This is what it reads in the TV guide for this Monday, "Inflicting bodily harm with a playing card; heating a jawbreaker to see if it turns into killer candy.".

9 - Discovery (42) - Dirty Jobs
I've been preaching this show for a while now. This show just makes you appreciate life a bit more. If you haven't seen the sewage episode, I highly recommend it.

10 - Comedy Network (50) - Dave Chappelle Show
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Donnb6DzYXQ&search=chapelle%20show...'nuff said

10:30 - Comedy Network (50) - Punk'd
This show has really kicked it up a notch. Babies are being used, infidelity is simply a joke, vehicles are completely destroyed, this show obviously doesn't care a thing about money or people's feelings. Which makes it all the better for us to watch.

Tuesday

8 - NBC (10) - Last Comic Standing
It's the 2 hour premiere. If you haven't seen past seasons, it doesn't matter. It's a pretty funny show. If not for the stand up alone, just the way everyone interacts with each other and how they act off stage is worth watching.

9 - A & E (31) - Dog the Bounty Hunter

10 - BET (57) - Season of the Tiger - I haven't watched this myself yet. It sounds awesome though. I think it would be best if you just went to the site for now. http://www.bet.com/BETShows/seasonofthetiger.htm?wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished&Referrer=%7B15316AC5-5969-48C8-BADD-0ED9CC2482BB%7D

Alternative - Comedy Network (50) - Distraction
It's a pretty typical game show in terms of the questions. What's unique is what is happening to the contestants when they want to answer a question. They may have to take a pie to the face, break a bottle over their head, put as many elastic bands on their face as possible, go through electrical shocks, and countless other painfully degrading things.

Wednesday

7 - A & E (31) - Dog the Bounty Hunter

8 - CTV (8) - Gameshow Marathon
It's on a special night for it's premiere. It's based on a show in the UK. It will regularly air on Thursdays at 8. A group of second tier if not third tier celebrities will compete in numerous game shows such as The Price is Right, Let's Make a Deal, and Family Feud. Seriously, I think it will just be worth watching because of Lance Bass.

9 - NBC (10) - Italian Job (Movie)
It's good, it's good enough that there's going to be a sequel. It's pretty much about revenge, a couple gold heists, and Mini-Coopers. Watch it if you haven't done so already.

10 - A & E (31) - Criss Angel Mindfreak
In the season premiere Criss tries to float from one building to another.

Thursday

8 - NBC (10) - The Office
Three episodes are playing back to back, I haven't given this show enough of my time. I've only seen bits and pieces but with Steve Carell being the main star of it, it should be pretty funny. Give it a chance, I'm pretty sure I will.

Alternative - ABC (18) - 2006 Scripps national Spelling Bee
This actually happened at one of these...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=06JUfkiMOVc&search=spelling%20faint
So it's definitely worth watching.

8:30 - Bravo! (40) - Bourne Identity (Movie)
Many people were skeptical about this movie when they found out Matt Damon was going to be the action star in it. Well I'm here to say, that their worries were misplaced. He does a great job in this film. It's pretty much about an assasin that has an amnesia and who is also a fugitive. There are tons of cool action sequences. Turn your VCR's on for this one.

9 - Discovery (42) - Deadliest Catch
I don't think you'll ever be able to say that Alaskan snow crab legs are too expensive after watching this. It's pretty much about a bunch of ship crews risking life and limb to catch as many crabs as they can. It's insane the lengths they are willing to go.

10 - Discovery (42) - Breaking Vegas
I have to watch this myself still. It's pretty much about people who tried to cheat casinos. Sometimes they succeeded and got away with tons of cash and sometimes they got screwed to the table.

Alternative - Spike (39) - Ultimate Fighter
I haven't watched much of it at all as of late. The first and second seasons were good though. If you like to see fighting this show may or may not disappoint you. Some weeks are a slugfest but other times it's a slow 3 round judge's decision, and those episodes aren't that entertaining to me at all. Still if you can appreciate grappling, you'll find a way to appreciate the show.

Friday

8 - Comedy Network (50) - Alice, I think
This is the season premiere. It's pretty much about Alice and her oddball family. Sure, the idea has been played out but I'm sure that it's going to be asinine and original. The writers are good and the Comedy Network hasn't let me down yet. Keep your eye on this one.

9:30 - MTV (59) - Laguna Beach : The Real Orange County
Three episodes play back to back. There's even an after show (I don't have to justify what I watch to you or anybody!). This show is beyond any words I have but I'll try. It's basically a reality TV show involving a group of teens (early college or just finishing high school) living luxurious lives in California. So without considering the obvious eye candy the show has to offer, it just seems too crazy to be true but it is. Let me just talk about what's been going on recently in the show (This is what I would sound like if I were a 16 year old girl watching the show). "Oh My Gosh! Can you believe that Alex M. approached Jessica like that. Totally ridiculous. I thought she was gonna break nails on her face. She's the one that hooked up with Jason behind Jessica's back. What nerve. At least she's not as bad as Stephen. People that work at Burger King flip less than him. MTV says he's involved in a triangle, fuck that, Stephen can't get Kristin so he goes to Lauren. At least he's going for girls though. What is up with Talan? Are you in love with Taylor or are you just in love with saying your in love with Taylor? I don't get it dude. At least you seem pretty happy even though you're single, unlike Jessica. Your ex, Jason is a handsome dude but he's kind of a dick. Realize that and move on. You're one of the prettiest and sweetest girls I've ever seen in my life. You can get almost any guy you want. Stop moaning and get back out there."...Sometimes I even scare myself.

So these are my suggestions on what to watch, at least for this week. I'm sure I'll find more shows in the TV guide later that I've seen and can recommend, but I think this is a pretty decent list for now.

A Truly Shocking Rating System

Before I start reviewing upcoming summer blockbusters. Every decent review blog needs some kind of rating system (This system will be mainly used for movies but it could be applied to shows too). So here's mine, pay attention to the pictures and the number of fingers being extended. Since 10 is a little generic, I'm going to use 6.
Painful to take...
0 - This movie is bad. It's so bad, you wouldn't bother going to it, if Carmen Electra was your date and she was promising sex afterwards. I'm serious, this is bad stuff. We're talking 'Son of the Mask' bad
Probably not worth the trouble...
1 - You either have to be totally drunk, totally high, or in love with someone from the cast to even give this movie a chance. A step up from 'Mortal Kombat: Annihilation', but not by much
Have to be in the mood...
2 - Overall the movie isn't good, but there are some good moments in it. By good moments, I mean celebrity nudity. Seriously though, I'm talking about the kinds of movies that are only good for a few minutes and then are surrounded by filler. Infamous with some sports films.
Just satisfying...
3 - This is an average movie. It's not seriously lacking in any area but it's definitely missing anything special. Tailor made for a rental, or I guess a purchase (First Markham destroyed Roger's Video with ease).
Better than usual...
4 - This is a solid flick. It's better than most out there. There aren't any obvious flaws but it just doesn't have that 'je ne sais quoi'. Definitely worth going to the theatre for though.
More than enough...
5 - Hold the standing ovations but damn the movie is good. It brings up a flurry of emotions, some of which you thought you killed when you decided to become a real man.



Just sit back and enjoy the ride...
6 - This is usually reserved for at least Oscar nominations. These are must sees in my opinion. The people that make movies like these are geniuses and deserve praise.

Prime Time, Part Three

So here are some shows that aren't really on any schedule for me. If I'm lucky I can watch some of them on the channel WB when I'm at home. The shows I'll talk about today are 'One Tree Hill', 'Smallville', 'South Park', 'Bleach', and 'Naruto'. The last two are animes. I'll deal with them last.

'One Tree Hill' is another great show on 'The WB'. Now that station knows what they're doing. I was a little apprehensive at first because the same people that did Dawson's Creek were working on the show. Now, I have nothing against Dawson's Creek, it was pretty decent and it had it's moments. I just don't need a repeat. Thankfully, in the very first episode they poked fun at it and you knew they were going to try to make it as different as possible themselves. That was refreshing. This show has so much character development, something that all good ones typically share. The music on the show is also pretty awesome, I find myself needing to find out constantly what bands were in it. I was worried that the show would suffer greatly when two of the actors, Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush, that play two major characters got divorced but that hasn't seemed to happen.

This show has focused on it's core cast, only adding a new cast member on rare occasion but even then, those characters end up turning into main ones. So pick up all the old seasons (there has only been 2 so far) and catch your ass up on this great series.

'Smallville' is good. It's gone on a little longer than I thought it would, but it's maintained it's quality. Sometimes there are episodes that aren't exactly well done but overall, the show is going in the right direction. Erica Durance (check out the May issue of FHM) has been in it for about a season now and plays Lois Lane, she's really pretty but 'Smallville' has no shortage of pretty girls, Allison Mack and Kristin Kreuk balance out that category nicely.

There's a reason to watch every season but you pretty much can start almost anywhere. That is if you know a little bit about Superman. This show has been rejuvenated and is preparing for one hell of an ending within a season or two. Definitely worth checking out.

'South Park' is in it's tenth season. I'm sure the creators of the show are just as amazed as you are. It's ridonkulous, I just can't believe what they get away with in that show sometimes. They cross all kinds of lines, and you just have to love them for it. It's such a guilty pleasure. Honestly, some episodes are just so sick, that you have to wonder how it got on the air. Not for the faint of heart but it hasn't lasted ten years for nothing. The movie was pretty cool too...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JrMfj8XfIQ&search=%20bitch%20song

Now, we're down to the animes. These are pretty much the only two I watch. There are hundreds out there. I wish they brought back Tenjo Tenge (Flash, you remember that show? Here's a reminder) .

'Naruto' has been around longer than 'Bleach', so let's start with it. Is it a much watch? That's arguable. It's based on a manga, so there are arcs. Some arcs are worth watching, other's aren't. This show is being played on YTV now. Don't bother with it, the voice acting is piss poor and they probably editted out the cooler scenes. Plus, it will take them years to get to where they are in Japan right now. It should be noted that the show is taking some kind of break from the manga, so a bunch of filler was used to keep the show going on a regular basis. This will end soon, thankfully. So pick up some old arcs (Pacific Mall is your friend) and start watching again in a couple months. It will be a fresh start, and you'll be able to keep up.

Now on to 'Bleach'. This show is great. Sword fights, a pretty cool idea about killing lost souls, and some seriously well drawn girls, need I say more?

Well, how about the huge amount of emotional development in the show or that there are a ton of cool blood filled scenes. This show is well written, even more so than 'Naruto' in my opinion. Even though it's currently taking a break using filler material too, the filler is damn good. This show has far fewer weak episodes. So go to bleachportal.net, sign up for a free account and download around 80 episodes to catch up. It'll only take you around 27 hours straight to finish, a small investment if you ask me.